Côtes du Rhône – Everyday Blends

Thursday night at Fine Wines of Stockton we tasted wines from the Rhône River Valley. The valley is long, stretching from just south of Lyon, along the river to the Mediterranean, some 150 or so miles. Over twenty grape varieties may be used to produce wines in this region, with specific requirements for individual AOCs (appellation d’origine contrôlée).

Côtes du Rhône is the least restrictive AOC and wines may be made using grapes from the northern or southern part of the Rhone River Valley. Most Côtes du Rhône are produced in the southern portion of the valley, around Orange and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The climate in the southern portion of the valley, where the Mediterranean influence is greatest, is warmer and these wines can be ripe and flavorful. Red wines are often blends of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault.

George explained some Côtes du Rhône are produced using carbonic maceration to produce fruit-forward red wines. These are generally drink-now wines, not intended for aging.

White wines are commonly blends of Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne and others. Rosé wines are made as well. In fact, within the Tavel AOC, only Rosé may be produced.

We tasted one white, one rosé and four red wines. Our mission was to choose our favorite red wine.

2011 Jean Luc Colombo La Redonne $24. This 70% Viognier, 30% Roussanne blend has the best qualities of both varieties. The nose and flavors are floral and citrus with a clean finish thanks to great acidity. This wine has a fairly long finish and 13.5% ABV. A great food wine for the summer.

2011 Parallèle 45 $13. This rosé is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 10% Syrah. This “vine de saignée” was very pale salmon and the nose was barely perceptible, just a bit of a grape scent. Flavors tasted faintly of berries and it had a nice minerality in the background. Good acidity provided a clean finish. This wine was a bit austere, but really refreshing.

The name of this wine acknowledges the 45th parallel north which runs very close to the cellars at Domaines Paul Jaboulet Ainé.

2010 CDR Côtes du Rhône $14.25 This blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault is fruit-forward with ripe dark fruit and significant tannins. The finish is long with flavor and tannins. This bottle of wine would pair nicely with a grilled burger or pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven.

The CDR label is a nod to history. In 1737 Royal decree demanded all casks originating from Côtes du Rhône be labeled with “CDR” as a way to authenticate their origin. This decree pre-dated the AOC system by more than two hundred years.

2010 Delas St-Esprit Côtes du Rhône $14.25 Sweet dark fruit nose is followed by bright fruit flavors, significant tannins and a fairly long finish. Pleasant flavors and well-balanced. This wine is a blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache.

2010 Domaine André Brunel Cuvée Sommelongue Côtes du Rhône $17.75 A very fragrant nose of dark fruit and violets follows with flavors of dark, ripe fruit and significant drying tannins. There is plenty of fruit flavor, not too ripe, and lots of tannins. There is enough of both so that the tannins do not overwhelm the flavors. The finish is long with both flavor and tannins. Both Pete and I liked this wine best. ABV is 14%.

This vineyard, Sommelongue, is located just outside Orange, near Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The 22 acre vineyard was planted in 1978 with 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% other (Mourvédre, Cinsault and pink Clairette). This wine is made entirely in stainless steel.

2011 M Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône $16.50 Sweet fruit nose is followed by dark fruit, coffee and caramel flavors with significant, drying tannins and a long finish. The flavors are complex, but not over-powering. A tasty, well-balanced wine. This was the group’s favorite wine of the evening. This wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah from four vineyards.

This group of Côtes du Rhône showed very well. The white wine was floral with great acidity making it a great summer wine. Same with the Rosé, the flavors were a bit austere, but pleasing minerality and a clean finish made it very refreshing.

The red wines provided a choice of Grenache or Syrah-dominant flavors. Take your pick, all were very nice wines. The price of these wines makes them very affordable for everyday drinking. A very worthwhile tasting.

Cheers!